in which i have a realization, and i am grateful

In the precious few moments I had today between work-related responsibilities, I stopped into my comic shop, and I saw this:

The Guild: Fawkes

I made this!

I've been so busy, and I finished my part of this project so long ago, I wasn't prepared for how proud and excited I was when I saw a book that I had written in my own comic shop, right there down the shelf from Brubaker, Wood, Willingham, Fraction, Waid, and other comic book authors I respect and admire.

When I bought some copies, Amy (who some of you know from Tabletop) held it up and said, "Is this your first published work as a comic author?"

I thought for a second and said, "I've written manga before, but this is my first comic book."

And that's when it hit me: Today, I am a published comic book author. A real one, and if I work really hard, and have a little bit of luck, it's only the beginning.

I've been traveling and working so much the past few months, I haven't been able to slow down and look around very often (life moves as fast as Ferris Beuller warned us), so I haven't been able to just stop, reflect, and be grateful for what I have. I don't mean to suggest that I'm taking things for granted, or under the delusion that I'm some kind of big deal or anything stupid like that, I just mean that I can't think about more than what is immediately in front of me until it's done, and there's been a long list of somethings in front of me for most of this year (which is awesome; it's great to be busy making a living doing what I love.)

But it's all too easy to get so overwhelmed with all the responsibility, we forget to take a moment to be grateful for the opportunities we have.

Today, I am grateful.

And now I am going back to work.

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51 thoughts on “in which i have a realization, and i am grateful”

  3. I know a little about how you feel. For the last 9 years or so, I have been working in the video Game QA industry. I always feel a sense of pride when a game I worked hard on releases, then does really well. Its nice to know that even though QA is totally hated by most of the game playing public, I worked as hard as I Could to make the game as good as possible. And yes, there are stinkers, and titles that have issues that should have been fixed, but I know I work very hard, and its nice to see that work pay off.

  5. The harder you work, the luckier you get. 🙂 I’m in awe of all the awesome right now in your life, and it’s well-deserved, fella. You worked for it!
    Now back to watching Tabletop! (Any chance Felicia could get a Roku channel? We’d LOVE to have it on da big screen.)

  6. In Calgary I asked you if there was ever a moment where you realized, “Oh my god..I’m famous.” – You said you didn’t care about that stuff and I was in awe of how humble you are.
    Does this count as one of those mooments?

  7. Been following your blog for so long now, Wil, (way before the ‘temporary exile’ kicked in) it’s a genuine pleasure to come along on a day like this. (Everybody lives!!) Cool.

  8. No, it's not about being famous. I really don't care about that. It's more like, "wow, I worked really hard and with the help and hard work of others, this idea I had became… THIS!"

  9. Congratulations on being awesome at yet another thing. You know, Ferris Bueller also said this:
    “The question isn’t ‘what are we going to do,’ the question is ‘what AREN’T we going to do?'”
    I sincerely hope that you keep on Buellering like a damn champion.

  11. Must be awesome! Congrats, buddy. Now I think you need to round out your repertoire and create a board game. 🙂

  12. So, as is just and proper for the local Comic Store; did Amy require you to sit down and sign 10k copies for the local trade?

  13. Which puts me back in the mindset, “Holy this guy is totally humble and pretty amazing.”
    Then again I can understand what you mean. The difference between fame and, as you’ve said, working hard and seeing something come to fruition. I totally should have re-worded my comment in calgary but, then again, it was pretty intense in the tiny room and I had just yelled at you to pick a girl.
    Thank you for listening 🙂 Congrats again! I will be purchasing this 🙂
    Oh! And I sent your wife a book, she knows about it. Can you remind her to go pick it up if she hasn’t already 🙂

  15. Gratz @wilw. That is huge even for you – someone who many nerds wish they could be. Or even just meet. That is awesome.

  17. I’m very, very excited that all my chores are done and I can review what the internet has been doing and then go get the comic.
    My favorite of your talents is the writing, truthfully. You have a gift for narrative. I love all your nonfiction stuff, especially the blog. I love the writing best when you narrate it (comic timing!) either live or on the Burrito. I’m not a fan of distopia or dark fiction, though, so a lot of your preferred fiction output isn’t really my preferred reading. No judgment intented! But I’m SUPER excited to read this comic, because I know you’re going to do the story justice.
    By the way, I still plan to make your Space Invaders bowtie, with some advice from @moine (Ben) on bowtie patterns, but we bought a new house a month ago and all my sewing stuff is packed up while we do insane amounts of DIY. I know you probably won’t make DragonCon this year, but I will find a way to get it to you. Perhaps through @dammit_liz.
    PS. Yes, I was the Space Invaders dress on JoCo cruise crazy.

  18. I told someone once that it was amazing to be me, and they said “Vain much?”, and I was like no…not because _I’M_ cool – I’m nothing, I suck – it’s just all these things that happen in my life are incredible.
    You were a comic fan, you diverted into film/tv and stardom, and here you are now: you MAKE comics. It was an unexpected, unplanned adventure, that completed an arc you didn’t even realize you were on.

  21. Congrats Will!!! We’ll see you this weekend in Phoenix and are really excited you’re coming back….and yes, we were surprised to find your comic book in the stores today and it was great. We’re looking forward to following the adventures! Congrats!

  22. Congrats Will! We look forward to your visit this weekend in Phoenix. We also purchased several copies of your comic book and look forward to following the adventures. See you soon!

  24. But the linky! Where’s a linky for purchasing? I mean duhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I can just go on Amazon and buy it but can’t you get, like, Amazon referral credit if you link it here? Double royalties dude!

  25. I was really excited when I found out that Felicia and yourself were teaming up to do a one shot for Fawkes. I mean who could possible write it better than the one portraying the character. I’ve read it and it was amazing. The only thing that saddens my heart is that it hadn’t been released sooner. I would have gotten it sign by you when you were here in Calgary. Any chance you’ll be up this way again?

  26. Wil,
    I wish you the best with your comic shop. I also hope it is open for more than three to five years. According to most business sources, that is the time life for most of these types of parties.
    FG

  27. Thirteen-year-old-me is envious beyond belief: I doodle constantly, trying to create epic tales and superhero art, and it’s all about creating something cool and fun to share.
    2012-me says, “Congratulations on making this a reality.”

  28. J. S. Bach said, “Success is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” Or something like that. And he probably said it in German. Anyway, congratulations on your ‘baby.’ I can tell you are proud. I admire your humility. Some in your position (too many in sports and entertainment) rarely stop and take a moment to be truly grateful. Cool, guy.

  30. Congratulations! I’ll be looking out for it.
    How did you find the change from writing short stories to writing a comic script? Have you got any advice for someone in a similar position? I’m currently working on an edit of a script I wrote last year for ScriptFrenzy and the toughest thing for me is cutting back the dialogue without affecting what needs to be conveyed to the reader.

  31. Do you happen to know, if the Fawkes Comic will also be available outside the U.S.?
    Or you could come to FEDCON again next year and bring some of the comics with you. 🙂
    (Would’ve loved to ask Felicia Day about them, but didn’t get a chance as so many people wanted to ask something…)

  33. The thing that always amazes me is that something that can seem like a disaster in your life (something you view as a bad decision, or losing a job, or fill in the blank bad thing), when you look back, you see has changed your path. It’s diverted you from where you thoyught you were going, sometimes in ways that horrified you at the time, and then more and more you find that you’re in a good, great, amazing place ;-D
    Wil, I saw this happening to you over the course of the events in your books which I just recently finished reading. I am so pleased to see this post, and that you are doing all the things you love. Thank you for sharing your joy!

  34. Congratulations! I only have a single issue of a comic book myself – the one-shot “Eye of the Wolf” Eberron comic – but it still makes me happy every time I see it. Even if I’m sad there was never a chance to continue the story!
    I’m also constantly amazed my how lucky I am to have had the opportunities I’ve had, with things like Eberron. I’m glad that amidst all the chaos – and I’m sure, your share of frustrations – you’re able to appreciate the good things. Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to reading the comic!

  35. You character is off center in every panel, and your penciling is sub Ziggy, HOWEVER, I deem it… rack-worthy.
    Congrats man. I will look for it at my local comic store.

  36. OK, I have been thinking.
    Movie Star
    TV Star
    Software developer
    Web master
    Book publisher
    Voice over actor
    Public Speaker
    Audio Book Reader
    “MicroBrewer”
    W00tStock
    Producer of a show on gaming
    (forgive me forgetting all the other wonderful projects you have worked on)
    and now comic book publisher
    Is there anything this man can’t do?

  37. I bet it's really awesome for you to see a game you made in a store, or see people playing it at a con, because it's soooooo much time and effort to playtest and publish and all that.
    I hope you're as happy as I am with the Gloom episode of TableTop when it airs.

  40. Congratulations, sir. My copy will come with my next comics shipment (I recently moved and am still supporting my old local shop until I find a new local shop). Can’t wait to enjoy it!

  42. I hope this will be available over here in the UK. If not I’ll have to go shopping at the next US con! Well done Wil! You’ve travelled such a huge creative journey over the last decade. Books, comics, tv shows, the web..Infact you are the most creative person I know. It’s great seeing you reap the rewards for all your hard work. And I simply adore Tabletop!!!
    Julian

  44. Dork Tower is amazing. I've been reading it for over a decade, now, and John Kovalic (who created it) and I have become friends.
    I love that you just found it! Go through the archives, and get some of the collections; you'll love it.

  46. Very cool…it is indeed a wonderful thing when you work so hard at something that may have once seemed like a dream, and to see the end result of all that effort come to life is an amazing experience. Desire is the true inspiration that we can give ourselves to do good things that may even inspire others – I wonder at times what the world will be like when more people realize that.
    A man can dream….;)

  47. I bought it. I loved it. I was completely floored by the ending. I mean, like seriously?
    But really, I loved it. You’re a top notch humorist, and more importantly, it’s inspiring to see someone who has slogged it out in the trenches for a lot of years in order to find their creative voice, and then to see that voice meet with success.

  48. Congratulations! It’s awesome when hard work on something pays off.
    I must also admit to being jealous though. I started work on a webcomic, and found an artist who sketched some character art for me. It was so close to the images in my head I got hugely excited, and this drove more creativity so now even though I only have a limited number of page scripts written, I had loads of scenes and plotlines sketched out ready. Sadly he was unable to continue working on it due to having another kid, but I’m determined that this comic will get made, even if it ends up being years down the line with my extremely poor drawing skills. I care too much about the story to let it go.

  49. ARG! In wading through the archives I find he not only mentions you but also “Tabletop” Had I seen that I would have figured out you were aware of him by the way he cartooned about you.
    *SIGH* I hate being old, I’m always the last to learn about the cool stuff!~

  50. When you said “I made this!” I heard the voice of that little kid at the end of every X-Files episode!
    Anyway, congrats! Can’t wait to read it!

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